Passage 03- 2nd and 3rd Day at Remera

The driver’s license of my host had expired.  So, starting with my second full day in Rwanda, I would be our driver.  The constant movement of people and bicycles on the sides of the road, along with motorbikes weaving in and out of traffic around us, made me feel like I was in the middle of a video game.  Without warning, large vehicles would choose to pull right in front of me from side roads.  This was nothing like the traffic I dealt with at home in the USA.  But I rather enjoyed it.  It certainly kept me on my toes.

On the second day with this group of 17, I taught on “God’s Nature of Love” which you can access from my website.  After asking for requests, my next topic was “How to Listen to the Voice of God.” I followed that by teaching on “Pray Continuously.”  Then I had them break out into groups of four so they could discuss what they had learned.  One person from each group would then be selected to get up in front of everyone to share the main points their group had discussed.

I had invited Valerie Mukacha from Iganga, Uganda to join me.  Valerie has a wonderful, God-given talent for ministering to youth.  She gave a practical exhortation on how to heal a broken heart.  As her presentation came to a close, she gave an invitation for anyone who had a broken heart that needed mending to come forward so they could be ministered to.  More than half of the audience responded!  She had touched their hearts in a remarkable way.

My plan had been for Valerie to be with me for my entire time in Rwanda and Uganda.  But she had been nominated for a special “Women of Worth” award and had to leave that evening to travel to Kenya.  She ended up winning the award.  She is an amazing woman.  I am so thankful God put her in my path.  And we will be doing much ministry together in the future, I am sure of that.     Where my talent is in teaching practical truths from the Bible, she is gifted in her ability to reach into the soul of an individual and help heal wounds that are deep inside.  We make a great team.

One of the topics I addressed was in explaining the three main types of love:  God’s love (agapao), human love (phileo) and passionate love (eros).  God’s love, of course, is by far the greatest.  It is unconditional and is the love we can only come to know when we have a relationship with our Father God.  However, phileo and eros love are also good for us to experience in our relationship with others, when they are exercised within the confines of God’s love and His Word.  I encouraged the single women to not allow boys to use them as a commodity.  To keep their bodies pure for their future husband.  And for the men to show respect for women in the same manner.

During the question and answer period, one lady gave testimony about her life as a nine-year old during the genocide that took place in Rwanda over a 3-month period in 1994.  An estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandans were killed, including about 70% of the country’s Tutsi population.  An estimated 250,000 to 500,000 women were raped.  She told us that the Lord spoke to her, telling her clearly that she would survive.  She went on to explain some of the details on how God guided and protected her while so many others she had been around did not live through it.

On my third and final day with this group, the topics I taught included “Learning How to Forgive,” “How to Resist Temptation,” “The Authority We Inherited Through Jesus Christ,” and “God Will Reward the Faithful.”

That evening I received text messages from my son Matt in the USA.  Coronavirus was becoming a very serious issue.  He and I enjoy watching sports competition on TV.  He informed me that the NBA basketball season and NCAA March Madness tournament had been canceled.  Travel to the USA from Europe had now been banned.  And stocks had dropped 10% in just one day.  Little did I know that the influence of coronavirus would soon carry over to Rwanda and, specifically, would have a huge impact on my ministry there.

And we have known and have believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

1 John 4:16  REV